Colonization dynamics of trophic-functional patterns of PFU protozoan communities in Dongchang Lake, northern China

Abstract

The colonization dynamics of trophic-functional patterns of protozoan communities were studied based on a dataset collected using the polyurethane foam unit (PFU) method in a man-made lake in northern China from April to May 2006. The protozoa represented different trophic-functional groups during the colonization process. Only some trophic-functional groups, e.g., photoautotrophs (flagellates) and bacterivores (mainly ciliates), occurred within the PFU protozoan communities at the initial stage (3-6 days), while more trophic-functional groups, e.g., photoautotrophs, bacterivores (mainly ciliates and sarcodines), non-selectives (mainly ciliates and sarcodines), raptors (mainly ciliates), and algivores (mainly ciliates), contributed to the communities with increased species richness at the transitional (9 days), equilibrium (12-15 days) and decline (18-22 days) stages. The colonization curve of total protozoan communities significantly fitted the MacArthur-Wilson model. However, of five trophic-functional groups recorded, only bacterivores colonized in a colonization curve that significantly fitted the above equation model. These findings may provide necessary understandings for colonization dynamics of PFU protozoan communities in freshwater ecosystems.

Microbial Community Colonization Process Unveiled through eDNA-PFU Technology in Mesocosm Ecosystems

“…These findings reveal significant differences in the colonization rates of various microbial communities within the PFU system. These disparities could be attributed to factors such as nutrient availability, individual size, and other ecological dynamics [39,40]. Notably, our results align with those obtained through conventional methods, reinforcing the validity and consistency of the observed colonization patterns.…”

“…Exploring microbial colonization patterns is crucial for comprehending the dynamics and potential interactions during microbial community assembly [39,40]. In this study, we observed distinct colonization of microbial communities in the PFU system over time.…”

“…Previous investigations on the colonization of microbial communities using the PFU method have primarily focused on natural ecosystems, such as rivers, lakes, and marine environments [10,12,[38][39][40]. The results of these studies indicate that PFU, as an effective bio-detection method, has been widely utilized for the study of microbial detection and colonization patterns in water environments.…”